2017/18 Premier League Home Kits Ranked

The 2017/18 Premier League campaign kicks off on Friday, August 10 with the 20 clubs eyeing varying goals whether it is winning the league, earning a place in Europe, or simply avoiding relegation. The summer months are critical to the look of the new season with players on the training field fine tuning their skills while behind the scenes (well maybe not) the kit managers have been unveiling the club’s soccer kits.

And like the clubs themselves, not all kits are created equal.

After reporting on all 20 Premier League club home jersey releases, Soccer365 has taken a moment to catch our collective breath and get to the serious business:

Ranking the 20 Home Jersey Releases from Worst to Best. (CLICK on club name for full jersey release article)

And here’s our list. Leave a comment at the end of the story with your retorts and suggestions on where we went wrong.

20. Chelsea FC – Fans were eagerly anticipating the release of the Chelsea 17/18 home jersey. The Blues won the title last season and Nike was taking over as their technical sponsor. A special feeling was in the air around Stamford Bridge. The resulting blue jersey with crew collar was the biggest disappointment of the summer. Admittedly, it is hard to tweak the look very much but Nike could have done better. We did not fall for the ‘new shade’ of blue as a new design feature and think the Soccer36 Chelsea Concept jerseys with some pops of color would have worked better.

19. AFC Bournemouth – Umbro had a great chance to provide a spectacular jersey after taking over from JD Sports in April especially after the club’s CEO Neill Blake pointed out that ‘our supporters can look forward to unique designs’ from the new sponsor. But it appears the club is going the wrong direction keeping the traditional red and black striped design but losing some of the cool features from last season.

18. Watford FC – We don’t discriminate when it comes to brands and a third technical sponsor, this time adidas, failed to impress with their first offering of the new Watford jersey. A yellow jersey with v-neck collar. Not so special. The best part of the new jersey is that is has a new front-of-jersey sponsor in FXPro with former sponsor taking the left sleeve placement.

17. Stoke City FC – Macron opted to use wider stripes and remove the polo collar from the Stoke City jersey but for the most part not an impressive update. This jersey was a contender for the worst of the season as fans of the previous 3 clubs atleast have a new technical sponsor logo on the jersey.

16. Manchester City FC – The 2017/18 Manchester City jersey should have been a special shirt with the club celebrating the 50th anniversary of their 1967/68 First Division title but the biggest splash on the kit in tribute to that accomplishment was placed on the club’s sock. The jersey has its usual distinctive look but as with most big clubs fails to make a statement.

15. Brighton and Hove Albion FC – The first of last season’s promoted clubs is not taking any chances with their appearance in the Premier League. The Seagulls and Nike have opted to stay true to tradition and recent looks with their blue and white striped jersey. The shirt’s sleeves and shoulders are blue (made up with narrow blue and white lines) and solid blue back.

14. Burnley FC– The button-up placket on the collar and claret gradient on the light blue sleeve are nice touches but not too much with this season’s jersey to get fans at Turf Moor super excited.

13. West Bromich Albion FC – The Baggies are staying true to tradition with their navy and white stripes but have made some tweaks since last season with a solid navy sleeves and back, red adidas Performance logo on the right chest, and white v-neck collar. A much bolder look from the white sleeve and back of the past few seasons which only will makes one wonder if their attack will be bolder this season as well.

12. Leicester City FC – Fans may be a little confused when watching Leicester City this year with the traditional blue jersey featuring gold detailing on the shoulders and sleeve cuffs. The gold touch would have been more appropriate last season after winning the 15/16 title but we can forgive the club and Puma as this season’s jersey has some character with the subtle pinstriping and placket crew collar.

11. Swansea City AFC – A new front-of-jersey sponsor in Letou along with sleeve sponsor, Barracuda, and stylish black wishbone collar with white insert gives the Swans all-white home jersey some unexpected pop this season.

10. Crystal Palace FC – For the first time since the 2010/11 campaign, Crystal Palace have returned to the thin red and blue stripes with hints of yellow on the collar and sleeve cuffs of their home kit. Technical sponsor Macron also added an interesting detail with the names of boroughs in the Greater London area that Crystal Palace claims (Bromley, Croydon, Lambeth, Lewisham and Southwark) and the base of the stripes.

9. Arsenal FC – Arsene Wenger is known for his conservative approach and Puma took a similar stance with the Gunners home jersey design for the 2017/18 Premier League campaign. Admittedly, Arsenal have an iconic look so hard to play with the sleeve design and Puma did include an interesting take on the gradient look in the sleeve (using the Arsenal crest) and include the fold-over polo style collar. But the look was much better than for some of the other big clubs looking to qualify for the Champions League hence their top 10 finish.

8. West Ham United – Subtle changes can make a huge statement with jersey aficionados, and West Ham and Umbro did a great job for the club’s 17/18 home jersey. The traditional claret and light blue style is still in place but the darker claret chevron, a tribute to the Hammer’s 1976 European Cup Winners Cup finals appearance, tied in with the pop of light blue at the base of the collar, and Umbro double diamonds running down the sleeve make this one fans can embrace.

7. Southampton FC – Fans will either love or hate the new look of the Saints with most not even born when a similar design was used in the first half of the 1980’s. It stands out as different from the traditional red/white stripes most commonly used by the club. Under Armour made this bold move with their sophomore effort and should be applauded for taking a risk.

6. Huddersfield Town AFC – If their jersey statement is any indication of their form on the field, Huddersfield Town’s first appearance in the Premier League will be a success. The Terriers white and blue gradient stripes and pops of red (for button on the placket, club crest, and the Puma logo) is a cool look that pairs well with the solid blue crew collar and top of the sleeve and is a huge improvement over last season’s kit. How the Premier League can change a club.

5. Everton FC – Everton and Umbro have teamed up to create a modern yet retro look for the Toffess in 17/18. The Liverpool club has a 2-tone blue jersey with the lighter blue predominant. The darker blue is used under the sleeves and for a retro Umbro double diamond pattern running down the sleeve and topped off with a hybrid blue crew collar. The jersey also includes first year sponsor SportsPesa on the front of jersey.

4. Tottenham Hotspur – Little changes can make a huge difference and that is what Nike has accomplished in their first effort of designing the Tottenham home jersey. The addition of a badge around the club’s cockerel logo grabs the attention and his reinforced with the navy detailing, frequently splattered across the jersey, eliminated to highlight a solid white pure look. In this case less is more but we can only hope this does not become a look that can not be changed (like some of the other Nike club’s noted above).

3. Manchester United FC – adidas is now 2-for-2 with their designs for the Manchester United home jersey! After the solid red jersey with honeycomb zipper effect last season, the Red Devils will sport a more classic look with solid red jersey, 2-button placket crew collar, and white/black striped sleeve cuffs, and adidas 3-stripes on the top of the shoulders. Each element works together to create a great look. And it is hard to imagine a logo better than the Chevrolet logo for the front of the jersey.

2. Newcastle United FC– After a 1-year hiatus from the Premier League, Newcastle United is back. The Magpies iconic black and white jersey has a cleaner look to celebrate their 125th anniversary. The narrow stripes return and run on the sleeves as well as the back. And best of all red numbers will return on the back of the jersey. Add to this the 125th anniversary crest along with a new shirt sponsor in FUN88 and Puma has put out a jersey fans will be clamoring for.

1. Liverpool FC – After a 4th place finish in 16/17 and Jurgen Klopp settled in at Anfield, Reds fans have huge expectations for the 17/18 season and New Balance made fans smile with their classic approach this season’s home jersey. The jersey’s focal point is the special 125th anniversary crest over the heart. The jersey has 5 subtle pinstripes down the front and the return on more white detailing on the collar and sleeves reminiscent of season’s past. The 96 memorial and Eternal Flames are on the back under the collar. It just goes to show that even a very traditional look can make a huge statement.

How did you rank the 17/18 Premier League home jerseys? Where did we get it wrong? Leave your comments below.